Rhys James: Remains

A sure-footed and charming follow-up show with just enough of a twist

Here comes another semi-laddish comedian with the right amount of sensitivity in his armoury. Last year, Rhys James left the festival with a whole heap of debt (not exactly a news flash, given that there’s barely a seasoned Edinburgh Fringe comedian alive who hasn’t claimed that of their August experience), and he’s put together an introductory film which lays out this woe-is-me scenario.

Once he gets into the meat of his new show, though, James is sure-footed on more promising ground. He cracks wisely about the possible real meaning behind some clothing brands, discusses exactly why comedians are just as brave as firefighters and details the pain and struggle he hasn’t gone through on the way to playing a sweaty container like this. There’s also a neat gag about Hitler and high fives.

As appears to be de rigueur for some of the younger stand-ups this Fringe, James throws in a bit of poetry which is inevitably hit and miss (though he amusingly adds a little twist by having a separate mic for his verse business). Some 60 minutes in and we’re back where we started with a film. This time it’s much more resonant by cunningly referencing almost every routine in the show. Remains is perfectly charming if just a little on the forgettable side.